How I Built a $1,000/Month Niche Newsletter on Substack

A year ago, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to write about — I just knew I wanted freedom.

Freedom to create. Freedom to earn. Freedom to build something of my own.

I’d been dabbling in affiliate marketing for years — trying websites, funnels, and social media accounts that never really stuck. The problem wasn’t effort; it was focus. I didn’t have a niche or an audience that trusted me.

Then I stumbled on a simple idea that changed everything:

👉 What if I built a newsletter around one niche I genuinely cared about — and monetized it with affiliate products I already used and loved?

Step 1: Finding the Niche That Felt Right

I asked myself three questions:

1. What do I already know and enjoy talking about?

2. What problems do people in that space face daily?

3. Are there products or tools that actually solve those problems (and have affiliate programs)?

After a few brainstorm sessions, I landed on a niche that combined two passions — online business and digital tools.

It was perfect because I could write about my personal growth journey, while recommending affiliate products that genuinely helped me — from marketing courses (like Legendary Marketer) to tools like ConvertKit, Jasper, and even gear from Amazon.

Step 2: Building on Substack

Instead of starting a complicated blog, I chose Substack.
Why? Because it removes all the technical friction. I could publish, build an audience, and get paid — all in one place.

I launched with three free posts and one paid post:

• Free posts built trust: tutorials, lessons learned, honest stories.

• Paid posts delivered deeper strategy — affiliate blueprints, monetization systems, and tool breakdowns.

Every post ended with a simple CTA:

“If you find this helpful, upgrade to the paid plan for full access to weekly strategy breakdowns and exclusive affiliate deals.”

Step 3: Adding Affiliate Income Streams

The first few months were quiet. I made $0.
But I kept publishing. Every week, I shared one short tutorial and one story.

Then I joined the Amazon Associates Program — and that was the breakthrough.

I wrote a post called “The 10 Tools That Built My Online Business” and linked each product with an Amazon affiliate link.
That post alone made $78 in a week.

I realized:

Even small audiences buy when you recommend with trust and clarity.

Soon after, I added affiliate links to relevant products to my niche and created partnerships with brands.

Each post became part story, part review, part tutorial — written like I was helping a friend.

Step 4: Monetizing with Paid Subscriptions

By month four, I had about 600 free subscribers.
So I turned on paid subscriptions at $10/month or $100/year.

I created a paid-only section called “The Business Builder’s Playbook.”
This included:

• Step-by-step guides

• Affiliate strategy breakdowns

• Early access to new product recommendations

Within a week, 12 people upgraded.
That’s when it hit me — this could actually become a real business.

Step 5: Growth Flywheel

The system started working:

1. Free post → drives new readers

2. Free post includes affiliate links

3. Paid post → delivers deeper content

4. Subscribers → pay monthly + buy affiliate products

By month six, I was earning:

• ~$450 from Substack subscriptions

• ~$550 from affiliate commissions (Amazon + digital courses)

Total: $1,000/month.

Step 6: Lessons Learned

1. Publish weekly, even when no one’s reading. Momentum compounds.

2. Tell stories. People remember your journey more than your advice.

3. Focus on trust over traffic. A small loyal audience beats 10,000 cold clicks.

4. Mix revenue streams. Paid + affiliate = stability.

5. Make it personal. Every post should sound like you’re writing to a friend, not a crowd.

Step 7: The Next Goal

Now that the newsletter makes a steady $1,000/month, the next step is scaling:

• Build my email list with lead magnets

• Collaborate with other creators

• Repurpose posts into videos and threads

• Add higher-ticket affiliate products

The dream?
To turn this $1,000/month side project into a $10,000/month digital media business, built on writing, honesty, and consistent value.

Final Thought

You don’t need a massive audience to make money online.
You just need a focused niche, useful content, and genuine recommendations.

Start today.

Pick your niche. Write your first post. Add one affiliate link.

The rest builds from there — one email at a time.

If you want to learn how to build your own profitable newsletter and affiliate business, check out the detailed guide I built with the steps I took to do it.